Not That Interested

Chapter 48: The One With The New Faces

"You pierce my soul. 

I am half agony, half hope."-- Jane Austen (Persuasion)

"Shazz Bhai! Your wife is absolutely gorgeous!!" Shehzer's cousin Sara gushes to him. "She's way out of your league!" He pretends to check me out, while the group surrounding us laughs. 

"Argh! damn. I have been so careful not to let her know about it! Why'd you have to tell her? Now I'll have to keep her under lock and key, so she doesn't run away." He jokes, grinning at me. I smile back, unsure what to say. Maybe it's the new faces, or maybe it's the new country; I'm still trying to orient myself here. We're at the grand Valima ceremony thrown by Shehzer's Mom a week after our arrival. I don't know a single person here, aside from my new family, i.e. Shehzer, Mariam Auntie (his Mom) and Rania. I missed the old comfort of my own family. We had arranged skype, but it just wasn't the same.

I am wearing a midnight blue traditional Gharara (Skirt) and a Blue/gold accented overlaying tunic, and dupatta. My hair is is flowing in the soft waves that the hair-salon lady blow-dried into. I am decked out in the tasteful make-up and jewelry. My favorite part is the delicate, gold band/diadem resting over my brows; it adds a very Greek-ish touch to my soft curls. Shehzer had beamed with pride when he saw me tonight. He was looking like a million bucks with his smart-fitted black suit, and skinny tie.

"You look lovely. As always." He had whispered softly, before slipping a a White-gold sapphire studded necklace around my neck. This time, I distinctly saw him kiss my neck. I shyly touched my neck, "What's this for?"

"Your wedding gift. Part one." He had winked back.

"There are more?" I ask incredulously.

"I can neither confirm, nor deny that statement." He had smirked. The tease. He knew I hated surprises. I was the kid who snooped around her parents' room for the birthday gifts.

Shehzer has a fairly big circle of extended family, acquaintances, friends, neighbors etc. that he is eager to introduce me to. So far, people have been very welcoming, and loving towards me, even though I did sense hostility from a few of his females  acquaintances. Perhaps they are jealous of my being with Shehzer, or perhaps this is how they generally behave. Who knows the heart, eh?

Sara touches my shoulder after people quiet down. "I have a request, Bhaabi (Sister-in-Law)!" I grin at the formal name. Sara is a Freshman at NYU, studying World Government. She is a slightly chubby, dark-eyed girl with an adorable dimpled smile. "You do know Urdu right? Pretty well?" She asks me, eyes dancing with excitement.

"Yes, I suppose my Urdu is pretty decent." I nod. "Mother tongue and all."

"I have a list of Atif Aslam songs I want you to translate for me." She announces. "Also, there's a couple of recent Hindi Movie songs, that are so freaking addictive...."

I laughed out at her request, "Please don't say Balam Pitchkari!!"

" Oh No! I googled that one, but I can't find  decent translation online for this one...None of it makes any sense." She digs into her clutch for her phone. If she's a movie enthusiast She should know by now that Bollywood dance songs rarely make sense, out of the movie context, or even within the context, probably.

"Here. How do you pronounce this?" She eagerly hands me her iTunes playlist. Shehzer looks over my shoulder at the phone, "Chittiyan Kalayiaan?" He frowned at the phone. I snorted with laughter, as Sara blinked at us with expectation. I see a few other cousins are politely waiting for the answer. This is hilarious. How do I translate this idiocy?